Snow plow



1955 L. c. ERICKSON 2,714,772

snow PLOW Filed March 12, 1951 f 2 SheetS*Sheet l INVENHM. Lewus C. ERICKSON AGENT Aug. 9, 1955 L. c. ERICKSON 2,714,772

SNOW PLOW Filed March 12, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

LEwls C. ERIGIKSON I4 8 17' BY FIG.3 '7 4 MW AGENT United States Patent SNOW row Lewis C. Erickson, Duluth, Minn., assignor of one-fourth to Roy B. Wiprud,Duluth, Minn.

Application. March. 12, 1951, Serial No. 215,106

9 Claims. (or. 37-43 This invention relates to, a snow plow, and has special reference to a small device for use. on. sidewalks, driveways, and the like.

There has long been a search for an efiicient, mechanical device for removing snow and ice accumulations from sidewalks, driveways, and the like, and numerous devices of; this nature have been made and sold for this purpose. However, none of the marketed products have proven entirely satisfactory. Many require too much motor power to operate, others are too bulky and awkward to handle, others require too much manual power to push them through the snow. This latter deficiency, is particularly true of so-called fan-type snow removers, and of most others when packed snow. is, encountered. Fantype snow removers also require a high speed rotation in order to build up, a high velocity air stream in which the snow is carried. This requires much power, obviously, as much more air than snow is handled. It is very easy to choke oif a fan-type. snow, remover by cutting off its air supply. In addition, most snow removal devices are high in price, out of reach, of the average home owner.

In addition, if obstructions such as rocks or the like get into the snow throwing element of the present devices, damage usually results thereto.

It is, therefore, one of the principal objects, of my invention, to. provide simple and eflicient, yet inexpensive, snow removal device.

Another object is to provide a device which will handle light, fluffy snow, or heavy and packed snow substantially equally well whether the snow is relatively deep or not.

Another object is toproyide such a device which may be used for removing accumulations of ice as well as snow.

Another, more specific, object is to provide a novel snow throwing rotor or mill which comprises a plurality of longitudinal blades carried on a shaft, the shaft and blades being rotatable at moderate speed, and the blades being pivotally mounted, in an off-center manner whereby centrifugal force will maintain. same in operative position; however, if the blades, should hit imbedded rocks, or other solid obstructions, or become overloaded beyond the capacity of the power unit, they will readily pivot rearwardly and inwardly to pass over the obstruction or to unload themselves, and when contacting ice, the, blades will pulverize same and throw it in the same manner as snow.

Another object is to provide a simple combined frame n housing hich equires a min mum at ma e al a labor.

Still another object is to provide a snow directing chute, the chute being inclined forwardly and upwardly over the throwing rotor whereby deep, snow will be undermined by the throwing element and the upper portion of the snow will be directed rearwardly and downwardly by the chute into the rotor with least manual effort as the device is moved forwardly into deep snow.

Another object is to, provide a snow removal device whi h s p o d w th on y on whseh whe e hand in of the device is greatly facilitated.

2,714,772 Patented Aug. 9, 1955 ice These and. other objects and advantages of my invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application:

Fig. l is. a perspective view of my snow plow with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1 with the snow discharge and handles removed.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4-4, Fig. 3.

In the drawing, the reference numerals 11 indicate the opposed side members of the chassis or housng of my snow remover, they being preferably made of heavy gauge sheet steel, as shown. The numeral 2 indicates the transverse upper wall members of my housing which join the side members along portions of their upper edges, the housing being open on the forward under side, as shown, and preferably being open at its under rear side as well.

Intermediate the side members 1--1, a back wall 3 is fixed, as by welding or the like, the back wall being spaced rearwardly from the forward edges of the side members, and having its lower portion curved or arched upwardly and rearwardly, as at 4, in substantially a quarter circle of a radius substantially equal to the radius of the circular path of the rotor blades. The remainder of the wall 3 is substantially straight and extends tangentially upwardly from the arcuate portion 4. Obviously, the back wall 3 aids. in forming a rigid housing or frame for the device.

An elongated opening 7 is provided transversely in the upper Wall 2, the opening having its rearmost edge coincident with the back wall 3, as shown, the purpose of which will become apparent.

A shaft 8 is mounted transversely between the side members 11 of the housing, forwardly of the back wall 3 a predetermined distance, a self-alining journal 99 being provided on the inner surface of each of the side members 11 to rotatably carry the shaft. One end of the shaft extends through one of the side walls 1 to receive a drive pulley 10, preferably a chain sprocket, by means of which the shaft may be rotated. The sprocket is preferred, as, it has less width than a pulley and thereby there will be a minimum of bulge on the side of the housing which presents resistance to forward motion of the device into a wall of snow.

On the shaft 8 adjacent each of the journals 99, a blade mounting member 1111 is fixedly carried, the member 11 preferably being a substantially rectangular plate, as shown. The plates 11 are provided with a plurality of pins 12 extending from and equidistantly spaced around their periphery which provide means for pivotally mounting the blades 13, as will become apparent.

The blades 13 preferably comprise an elongated strip of flat steel, as shown, the strips being of sufficient length to extend substantially entirely across the space between the side members 11 so that they may be rotated intermediate the side walls l1 and remove all of the snow which enters between the side walls 1--1.

Each of the blades has a mounting lug 14 fixed thereto in spaced relation to the opposed ends thereof, the lugs being properly alined with the mounting plates 11 so they may be pivotally connected thereto, as by the pins 12 extendin from the plate. Suitable holes 15 are pro vided in the lugs 14 to accomplish the mounting, of course. It is to be noted that each of the plates 11 is carried on the shaft by means of a boss 16, preferably rectangular in cross section, the boss being secured to the shaft by a tapered pin 17 whereby thehub and plate may be moved longitudinally of the shaft topermit mounting the blades on the pins without cotter pins or the like, as the pins extend from the plates in opposite directions; that is, one side of the blades may be pivotally mounted on one of the plates, then the opposite side of the blades may be mounted by moving the other plate into position to insert the pins 12 through the holes 15 in the lugs 14. The tapered pins 17 may then be reinserted to secure the plates and hubs in place on the shaft so as to rotate therewith.

During the operation of my device, centrifugal force maintains the blades extended to their limited outermost position when the shaft 8 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 18, Fig. 4, and I have provided an inward extension 5 on each of the lugs 14 to engage the boss 16 to limit the forward movement of the blade assemblies as they are rotated and to insure all blades being in uniform operating position and equally extended from the shaft.

It is to be noted that the lugs 14 are mounted edgewise to the direction of rotation and at right angles to the blades, and that the blades are mounted on the trailing edges of the lugs. This puts the blade assemblies (comprising the blade 13 and mounting lugs 14) off center or off balance when mounted. This construction is provided to take advantage of the maximum available motive power, and yet permit the blades to collapse to unload the motor if it is overworked.

Actually in this construction the blades are pre-loaded to a predetermined extent to meet the load which the motor will carry. This load is obtained by the blades being held away from the position they would normally assume when rotating due to centrifugal force, and the force holding the blades from achieving their outermost position is substantially the output of the motor. It will be readily apparent then that if a solid obstruction is engaged by any of the blades, the object will receive a sharp blow from the blade and the blade will be moved rearwardly to clear the object without damage to the blade, thereby making for longer blade life and less breakdown and repair. the repeated, rapid, sharp blows of the blades on the ice will pulverize same and permit the blades to remove it in the same manner as snow is removed. Ice may easily be removed down to the bare ground.

The snow throwing rotor of my invention obviously rotate the snow throwing element, the relative sizes of the pulleys and sprockets governing the speed of rotation of the snow throwing element.

As means to support and transport the device, I have provided a single wheel 26 on, and alined with, the transverse center of the housing, behind the back wall 3 and just rearwardly of the center of gravity of the entire device, so that the device is biased slightly forwardly. A pair of opposed brackets 27-27 may be welded to the back wall and to the upper wall 2 to carry the wheel. The device is biased slightly forwardly, as stated, and a transverse foot 28 is provided at the lower end of the back Wall 3 on which the forward portion of the device will normally rest and provides the limit to prevent the blades from exceeding the elevation of cut. The foot 28 may be formed by bending the lower edge of the back wall back upon itself to extend horizontally, or it may comprise a separate piece of angle iron (not shown) welded in place thereof, if desired. It is purposely made quite dull to prevent its catching on any rough, uneven surface.

If ice is engaged by the blades,

The shaft 21 a In operation, the device may be rolled to its desired place for removing snow by tilting it back on the wheel 26, using the handles 29, of course. The entire machine may then be wheeled around very easily, somewhat like a Wheelbarrow. When the operating point is reached, the motor is started, as by a pull rope for example, and the clutch engaged to rotate the snow throwing rotor at its desired speed.

The device is then initially pushed into the snow, either with the weight of the machine resting on the foot 28 and wheel 26, or with the machine balanced on the wheel 26 with the foot 28 any desired distance above ground. Tilting the machine backward allows you to remove snow to a greater depth than would otherwise be possible. The individual blades 13 will cut into the snow and carry same until the blades pass the end of the arcuate portion 4 where momentum projects the snow tangentially from the blade upwardly along the straight portion of the back wall 3. A discharge hood 30 is removably mounted over the opening 7, the discharge hood being substantially right triangular in shape and having its longest side 31 uppermost, as shown. It has a back wall 32 which is in alinement with and a continuation of the straight portion of the back wall 3 (see Fig. 4). The upper end 31 of the discharge hood is here shown as being rounded, the degree of roundness being accentuated from bottom to top. This construction of hood will cause the snow to be rolled or directed into a spiral and in an upward and sideward direction through the open end 33 of the discharge adjacent the upper end thereof without any abrupt changes of direction which in effect would be an energy loss. The velocity of the snow is so great as to cause same to be carried laterally from the discharge hood a considerable distance. This eliminates high banks along ones sidewalks and driveways, of course, and prevents higher drifts from accumulating in same, thereby making it easier to keep the walks and driveways clean.

In addition to the above, I have provided means for removing deep snow with a relatively small diameter snow throwing element. In the device as here shown, the snow throwing element is only about ten inches in maximum diameter; however, snow two feet or more deep can readily be handled due to the construction and arrangement of my snow directing chute or deflecting wall 34, which is made of sheet metal similar to that of the side walls 11. As may be readily seen in the drawings, the chute 34 extends upwardly and forwardly from the upper wall 2 of the device from a point substantially directly above the shaft 8, the chute having side walls 3535 which are integral therewith and extend forwardly therefrom, the'lower edges thereof being welded to the upper edges of the side walls 11. The walls 3535 serve to reinforce the chute mounting as well as aid in directing snow into the snow throwing rotor and facilitating a clean path of cut through the snow.

With the above described chute construction and its relative mounting with respect to the rotor, deep snow will be undermined by the rotor, and as the device is pushed forwardly into the snow, the snow in engagement with the chute, having been undermined, will readily move downwardly along the chute 34 and into the rotor to be thrown from the discharge hood out of the way.

It is to be noted that the chute 34 is of flat metal and extends parallel with the blade 13 to give a full width snow removal operation from bottom to top of the snow engaged, and that there is very little area on the entire device which offers any resistance at all to entry into a bank of snow. The cover 22 for the sprockets 10 and 20, and the forward edges of the side Walls 1-1 are the only parts that will constantly engage the snow, and they offer but very little resistance to forward progress of the device through snow. In deeper snow, of course more manual effort will be required initially to move the device into the snow bank because of the chute 34;

same

however, because of the undermining operation and the inclination of the chute, it takes relatively little effort to cause the snow to begin to move downwardly into the rotor. Further, the rotation of the rotor is (in the direction of the arrow 18) such as to produce, a force which tends to aid in moving the plow. forward, whereby very little manual effort is required to maintain. forward motion.

To make my device more versatile, I have provided means for facing the hood 30 to discharge to either side of the snow-plow. This means comprises, a similar opening 36 in each of the side Walls 11 just below the opening 7. A hook 37 is fixedly carried on the lower end of hood and extends. downwardly and outwardly therefrom so. that it may be readily engaged in either of the openings 36 when desired. At the lower end of the open end 33 of the hood, I provide a cross member 38 having an opening therethrough through which a movable hook 39 is mounted, the upper end of the hook being threaded and having a thumbscrew thereon, as shown, to permit the reciprocation of the hook in its mounting whereby, after the hook 37 is 'in place, the hook 39 may be engaged into the other of the holes 36 and the thumbscrew tightened to secure the hood in place.

It is to be noted that the chassis or housing of my snow plow comprises the sheet metal side walls 11, the upper wall 2, and the back wall 3, all of which are rigidly fixed together along their abutting edges to form a rigid housing which requires no angle or channel irons except for the motor mounts 40-40. The Sheet metal wheel brackets 27--27 also serve to rigidify the chassis, as they are fixed to the back wall 3 in spaced relation and to the upper wall 2, as shown, to provide support for the motor as well as to mount the wheel. This construction simplifies manufacturing and cuts cost of fabrication and assembly considerably to make the device less expensive to the consumer.

It is to be understood that I have herein shown and described one specific embodiment of my invention, and that my appended claims are not necessarily limited specifically thereto, but should be construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A snow plow comprising a housing, a rotor carried in said housing, and means to rotate said rotor to move snow which it contacts in a predetermined path rearwardly on the underside of said rotor, said rotor comprising a plurality of blades, means for mounting said blades pivotally in spaced relation to the axis of said rotor, and means for holding said blades from achieving a free radially extended position when said rotor is rotating, and said blades being free to pivot in the opposite direction to the rotation of said rotor to reduce the diameter of the latter when said blades encounter a resistance greater than the capacity of said means to rotate said rotor.

2. A snow plow comprising a housing, a rotor carried in said housing, and means to rotate said rotor to move snow which it contacts in a predetermined path rearwardly on the under portion of said rotor, said rotor comprising a plurality of blades, means for mounting said blades pivotally in spaced relation to the axis of said rotor, and means for holding said blades from pivoting in the direction of rotation of said rotor and achieving a free radially extended position when rotating, and said blades being free to pivot in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of said rotor.

3. A snow plow comprising a housing, a rotor within said housing, and means for rotating said rotor to move snow which it contacts in a predetermined path rearwardly on the under portion of said rotor, said rotor comprising a shaft extending transversely of said housing, a blade mounting member carried on said shaft adjacent each end thereof to rotate with said shaft, a plurality of a .6 elongated blades, extending transversely of said housing, means for mounting said blades pivotally on said blade mounting members, and means for holding said blades from pivoting in the direction of rotation of said rotor sufliciently to achieve a free extended position when said rotor is rotating.

4. A snow plow comprising a housing, a rotor within Said housing, and means for rotating said rotor to move snow, which it contacts in a predetermined path rearwardly on the under portion of said rotor, said rotor comprising a shaft extending transversely of said housing, a blade mounting member carried on said shaft adjacent each end thereof to rotate with said shaft, a plurality of elongated blades extending transversely of said housing means for pivotally mounting said blades on said blade mounting members in spaced relation to the axis of rotation of said rotor, and means for holding said blades from pivoting in the direction of rotation of said rotor and achieving a free extended position when rotating.

5. A snow plow comprising a housing, a rotor within said housing, and means for rotating said rotor to move snow which it contacts in a predetermined path, said rotor comprising a shaft extending transversely of said housing, a blade mounting member carried on said shaft adjacent each end thereof to rotate with said shaft, a plurality of elongated blades extending transversely of said housing means for pivotally mounting said blades on said blade mounting members in spaced relation to the axis of rotation of said rotor, and means to limit the pivot of said blades in the direction of rotation of said rotor to prevent their achieving a free radially extended position relative to the axis of said rotor.

6. A snow plow comprising a housing, a rotor within said housing, and means for rotating said rotor to move snow which it contacts in a predetermined path rearwardly on the under side of said rotor, said rotor comprising a shaft extending transversely of said housing, a blade mounting member carried on said shaft adjacent each end thereof to rotate with said shaft, a plurality of elongated blades extending transversely of said housing and being pivotally carried by said blade mounting members, means to limit the pivot of said blades in the direction of rotation of said rotor to prevent their achieving a free radially extended position relative to the axis of said rotor, and said blades being free to pivot in the opposite direction to reduce the diameter of said rotor to pass over objects said blades cannot move therewith.

7. A snow plow comprising a housing, a rotor carried in said housing, and means to rotate said rotor to move snow or the like which it contacts in a predetermined path rearwardly and on the under portion of said rotor, said rotor comprising a plurality of blades extending transversely of said housing, means mounting said blades pivotally in spaced relation to the axis of said rotor, and means to hold said blades from reaching a free extended position when rotating, said blades being free to pivot in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of said rotor to reduce the diameter of said rotor when said blades encounter a resistance greater than the capacity of said means to rotate said rotor.

8. A snow plow comprising a housing, a rotor carried in said housing, and means to rotate said rotor to move snow or the like which it contacts in a predetermined path rearwardly and on the under portion of said rotor, said rotor comprising a plurality of blades extending transversely of said housing, means mounting said blades pivotally in spaced relation to the axis of said rotor whereby centrifugal force will cause said blades to seek a free radially extended position when said rotor is rotated, and means to hold said blades from reaching said extended position, said blades being free to pivot in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of said rotor when said blades encounter a resistance greater than the centrifugal etfort maintaining same against said blade holding means.

of said housing, means for pivotally mounting said blades 7 in spaced relation to the axis of'said rotor whereby centrifugal force will cause said blades to seek a free radially extended position when said rotor is rotated, and means for holding said blades from pivoting in the direction of rotation of said rotor and achieving said free radially extended position when rotating, said blades being free to pivot in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation when necessary.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Stock May 16, 1882 Tanczer May 22, 1917 Romera Jan. 10, 1933 Peter July 26, 1938 Voorderrnan 1 Apr. 23, 1940 James May 14, 1940 Jensen Dec. 17, 1940 Riznyk Dec. 24, 1940 Edwards Jan. 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Dec. 9, 1901 Italy Jan. 12, 1949 1 (Corresponding U. S. 2,680,606, June 8, 1954) 

